Lots of us do not know much about drones except they look like insects, can fly and are used by the military. Their biggest debut came during the first Gulf War in 1991.Times have changed a lot since then and in 2018, Research and Markets estimated the drone industry to be worth $20 billion.

Drones are classified into:

Multirotor

Used by hobbyists and pros and include aerial photography, video surveillance and surveying.

Fixed Wing

They are able to travel long distances, map wider areas, and remain within close proximity to the designated area.

Single Rotor Helicopter

Common in manned aviation, but not so much within the drone community.

Fixed Wing Hybrids

These hybrid drones, currently being developed, can take off and land vertically and can hover.

It's going to be a very exciting 2019 for drone enthusiasts. Here are some fantastic ways drones are flying into our lives.

Increase of business use for drones

It's expected that the drones will increase in certain industries, mainly: construction, agriculture, public safety, telecommunications, mining, survey engineering. The increase is expected to be slow but steady. If you are interested to purchase one for your business, you can read drone reviews with a bit of research. A good place to start would be XK Detect X380, most of these sites will guide you to know more about them and which to buy. The trend is leaning more towards commercial industries rather than accommodating individual interest.

Wildlife conservation

Drones have a huge potential to track down wildlife and species close to extinction. The technology helps researchers to explore areas with often harsh environments. In the ocean, whale life is being monitored as well as illegal fishing. Fixed wing drones can land on water and AI (Artificial Intelligence) infrared cameras can identify members of the species as well as poachers.

Organ donation transportation

Transporting a donated organ is completely dependent on commercial travel. Some organs, such as the lungs or the heart have only 4-6 hours that they can be preserved for a transplant, so organs need to be transported as quickly as possible. Drones in this vitally important field can actually save lives.

Archeological discoveries

Very recently BBC reported new archaeological discoveries on two remote Scottish islands, which are now considered the world's most accurate mapped islands. The mapping was done using drones. The drones flew for five days, covering 250 miles, capturing 4,000 pictures from over 420 million data points. This has been cited as the largest complete island dataset that has been captured by a drone.

Marketing

With GPS tracking placed on drones and cameras, drones provide new ways to market certain businesses. By capturing the sights, it helps boost tourism. For real estate, overhead videos of houses help with sales. Hotels stand to gain a lot by providing shots and videos of the premises via drones.

What to look for in 2019

Get ready for profound transformations in the drone industry with AI, Virtual Reality and LiDAR sensors. AI helps to analyze the enormous amount of data captured by the drones. In the future, expect more drones that feature GPS navigation, collision avoidance capabilities, and ability to adapt to changing weather conditions. Truly, the sky's the limit when it comes to drones.